Support for the seat of a chair

ABSTRACT

A chair with an integral support including a horizontal hub extending in the vertical plane of symmetry of the chair, two sets of brackets extending laterally from the hub and arranged symmetrically in respect of the plane, and two strips extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane, each of the strips interconnecting the outer ends of the brackets of a respective one of the sets. A seat having turned-down lateral edges extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane and shaped to conform to the upper support surfaces of the strips is mounted on the support by engaging the seat edges with the strips.

0 United States Patent 1191 1111 3,827,750 Fantoni 5] Aug. 6, 1974 [54] SUPPORT FOR THE SEAT OF A CHAIR 3,628,832 12/1971 Jennings 297/451 [75] In entor: Marco to Mi an Italy 3,669,497 6/1972 Massonnet 297/445 [73] Assignee: Tecno S.P.A. Mobile furniture per primary c Nunberg arredamento, Milan Italy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kurt Kelman [22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1972 [2]] App]. No.: 317,516 [57] ABSTRACT A chair with an integral support including a horizontal 130 Foreign Application priority Data hub extending in the vertical plane of symmetry of the Jan 13 1972 Italy 0193] 1/72 chair, two sets of brackets extending laterally from the hub and arranged symmetrically in respect of the 52 us. c1. 297/445 297/451 Plane and two strips extending Substantially [51] Int Cl I 7/00 7 /1 4 tally and parallel to the plane, each of the strips inter- [58] Field of "248/373 297/349 connecting the outer ends of the brackets of a respec- 445 451 tive one of the sets. A seat having tumed-down lateral edges extending substantially horizontally and parallel [56] References Cited to the plane and shaped to conform to the upper support surfaces of the strips is mounted on the support UNITED STATES PATENTS by engaging the seat edges with the strips. 946,225 l/l9lO lrwin 297/457 3,230,011 1/1966 Propst 297/457 1 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SUPPORT FOR THE SEAT OF A CHAIR The present invention concerns a support made of a single piece for supporting the seat of chairs, easy chairs or the like, particularly in cases in which the said seat is formed by a single piece of laminated plastics material. The support is formed by a plurality of brackets extending from a centre block associated with the base of the chair and terminating on both sides in a continuous strip for supporting the seat on both side edges thereof, substantially without the necessity of the provision of vertical connections except for secondary operations such as raising, swivelling and the like.

Each chairs formed by a seat or body of stamped-out laminated plastics material, injection-moulded or the like, with an integral back and having a column-like base with legs or the like, of any suitable material, are already known.

The technical problem with which designers of this type of chair, easy chairs or the like are faced, is to find a means of support and connection of the base to the seat and back without any disadvantages relating to strength and endurance being incurred.

Known solutions consisting in a formation of thickened portions, mouldings, or the like at the connecting points under the seat or completely across the body, by screwsgbolts or the like which are then connected to the framework or support plate of the seat, have not given any satisfactory results, particularly on account of the fact that, with the use of the chair or the like, breakages of the body at the points of connection occurred.

Furthermore, in order to surmount the consequences of incorrect use of the chairs, the designers were compelled to provide ribs, reinforcements or the like in the side areas which, besides making the construction of the body more expensive and difficult, did not solve the problem leading to the aforementioned disadvantages until a long period of time had elapsed.

The support according to the present invention minimizes the said disadvantages and also permits a simple and economical construction with the possibilities of adaptation to various types of chairs, with or without arms, with small writing tables, with a centre column or side legs and the like.

According to the present invention there is provided a comprising an integral support including a horizontally extending hub in the vertical plane of symmetry of the chair, two sets of brackets extending laterally from the hub and arranged symmetrical in respect of the plane, and two strips extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane. Each strip interconnects the outer ends of the brackets of a respective one of the sets and has an upper support surface. The chair seat has turned-down lateral edges extending substantially v horizontally and parallel to the plane. The lateral edges are shaped to conform to the upper support surfaces of the strips and the seat edges engage the support surfaces for support of the seat on the strips.

Preferably, the support brackets of the side supporting strips have a concave portion, the upper profile of the brackets having the same curvature as the area of the seat to be located above them, so that the seat itself, under the action of a load, is also supportable on said brackeis.

The two side strips preferably have points of connection for any arms, for the support of the writing table,

for side legs or the like instead of the central column support and also for any side connection of an adjacent chairs or the like.

According to the present invention, the body forming the seat and the back in a single piece of stamped-out laminated plastics material has all around its periphery a turned down edge with a substantially horizontal plane surface extending along the parallel side edges corresponding to the position of said two strips connected to the ends of the brackets.

According to the present invention, the body is slipped on said support, and is located thereon by the turned down side edges on the continuous strips on the ends of the support and may be connected thereto by means of screws or the like for preventing swinging or upward movements. The surface of the body forming the seat can rest substantially directly on the whole length of the brackets of the support, which, as stated, are curved to form a cradle for the distribution of load bearing on the seat, leaving, for the natural distribution of elastic deformation, the possibility of a correct distribution without concentrations of forces of connecting points under load.

The invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying draw- .ings,,in which:

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a chair showing the use of divergent legs; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a chair showing the use of an arm rest.

With reference to FIG. 1, the chair is formed by a base 1 which may be of any known type, and a column 2, also known, from which a shaft extends, said shaft being fixed, displaceable and/or adjustable and on which shaft there is located a support 3.

The seat 4 with associated back is mounted on the support, as will be described hereinafter.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the support of the seat 4 comprises a hub 5 provided with a tapered bore 5a for connection to the shaft of the column 2, from which extend, integral with hub 5", a plurality of brackets 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. The brackets are arranged symmetrically in respect of hub 5 and extend forwardly, in the manner of spider legs.

The outer ends of the brackets are connected, preferably integrally to strips 13 and 14 extending substantially parallel to the centre axis of the chair and substantially in a horizontal plane.

The strips 13 and 14 have an upper plane or slightlyv curved portion 13a and 14a extending over the entire length of the strips and ending in a rear curvature 15 (see FIG. 4) conforming to the bend existing between the seat and the back.

As may be seen more particularly from FIGS. 2 and 4, the portion of the brackets extending from the central hub 5 follows a curve 16 symmetrical to the centre axis of the support 3, rising at the ends to reach the level of the surfaces 13a and 14a.

FIG. 2 shows both the support 3 and the seat 4 according to the invention. The seat, for the sake of clarity, is shown in a raised position from the associated support so as to show both the area of support and connection with the support, and all the area in which the user is seated.

As may be seen from FIG. 2, the seat 4 is provided on both sides with turned-down side edges 17 and 18 corresponding to the strips 13 and 14 having a crosssection and length equal to that of the correstrips l3 and 14 particularly in the upper surfaces 13a and 14a. The centre portion 19 of the seat 4 has the same curvature as the upper part of the support brackets so that, when the seat unit is mounted on the associated support, the bottom of the seat is in contact with or slightly spaced from the brackets. To ensure connection during accidental movements of lifting, swinging or the like, the strips 13 and 14 are provided with holes 20 and 21 through which screws or the like pass for connection to the seat 4.

According to the present invention it is also proposed that, at the side of the strips 13 and 14, and on the outer surface thereof, there should be provided holes 22 and 23, for example having a double taper or the like, for the application of side accessories such as arms 24, see FIG. 6, a bracket arm 25 for supporting a writing table 26, as shown in FIG. 5, or side legs 27 and 28, shown in FIG. 5, instead of the centre column 2 and base 1 The assembly of the chair with the support and seat according to the invention is appreciably simplified with great advantage in the manufacture of the chair. In fact, the support of the present invention, with the above described features, permits the direct connection of the seat 4 to suitable support strips 13 and 14, the securingthereof and, hence, the slipping of the unit on the shaft of the column 2 which is inserted in a taper bore a of the hub 5. At this point the chair is already complete. By means of two other connections on each side, anns 24 may also be applied to produce an easy chair or the like, or the writing table parts 25 and 26 may be mounted on the chair. The same parts may be immediately removed by operating in the opposite direction.

It is to be understood, therefore, that variations in construction may be applied to the above, particularly with regard to the means of connection, the adaptation of the supporting base and the like without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A chair having a vertical plane of symmetry and comprising, in combination,

1. an integral support including a. a horizontally extending hub in the vertical plane of symmetry,

b. two sets of brackets extending laterally from the hub and being arranged symmetrical in respect of the plane, the brackets having outer ends, and

c. two strips extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane, each of the strips interconnecting the outer ends of the brackets of a respective one of the sets and having an upper support surface; and

2. a seat having turned-down lateral edges extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane,

a. the lateral edges being shaped to conform to the upper support surfaces of the strips and the seat edges engaging the support surfaces for support of the seat on the strips.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the contours of the brackets and the seat conform to each other, the portion of the seat between the lateral edges being supported on the brackets between the strips.

3. The chair of claim 2, wherein the contours are concave.

4. The chair of claim 1, further comprising horizontally spaced connecting points between the strips and the lateral edges for locking the seat in position in respect of the support.

5. The chair of claim 1, wherein the strips including laterally extending means for connecting accessory parts to the support laterally adjacent the edges of the seat.

6. The chair of claim 5, wherein the accessory parts are arm rests.

7. The chair of claim 5, wherein the accessory parts are table supporting brackets.

8. The chair of claim 5, wherein the accessory parts are chair legs.

9. The chair of claim 1, further comprising a central support column supporting the hub. 

1. A chair having a vertical plane of symmetry and comprising, in combination,
 1. an integral support including a. a horizontally extending hub in the vertical plane of symmetry, b. two sets of brackets extending laterally from the hub and being arranged symmetrical in respect of the plane, the brackets having outer ends, and c. two strips extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane, each of the strips interconnecting the outer ends of the brackets of a respective one of the sets and having an upper support surface; and
 2. a seat having turned-down lateral edges extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane, a. the lateral edges being shaped to conform to the upper support surfaces of the strips and the seat edges engaging the support surfaces for support of the seat on the strips.
 2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the contours of the brackets and the seat conform to each other, the portion of the seat between the lateral edges being supported on the brackets between the strips.
 2. a seat having turned-down lateral edges extending substantially horizontally and parallel to the plane, a. the lateral edges being shaped to conform to the upper support surfaces of the strips and the seat edges engaging the support surfaces for support of the seat on the strips.
 3. The chair of claim 2, wherein the contours are concave.
 4. The chair of claim 1, further comprising horizontally spaced connecting points between the strips and the lateral edges for locking the seat in position in respect of the support.
 5. The chair of claim 1, wherein the strips including laterally extending means for connecting accessory parts to the support laterally adjacent the edges of the seat.
 6. The chair of claim 5, wherein the accessory parts are arm rests.
 7. The chair of claim 5, wherein the accessory parts are table supporting brackets.
 8. The chaiR of claim 5, wherein the accessory parts are chair legs.
 9. The chair of claim 1, further comprising a central support column supporting the hub. 